Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, aged 99, has died

[LSWR Cavalier]

I visited the NCAT near Machynlleth on 29.7.81 (day of the fairytale wedding), a good place to meet like-minded people, someone else climbed Cader Idris that day to get away from the Media Madness, he met other republicans there.

Could be a good day to go cycling or walking if millions of people are staying home.

 

[Journeyman]

I visited the NCAT near Machynlleth on 29.7.81 (day of the fairytale wedding), a good place to meet like-minded people, someone else climbed Cader Idris that day to get away from the Media Madness, he met other republicans there.

Could be a good day to go cycling or walking if millions of people are staying home.

Very good point. I'll plan something.

In all honesty, given what I've heard of what will happen when the Queen dies, I'm tempted to leave the country for a couple of weeks when that happens.

 

[AlterEgo]

Very good point. I'll plan something.

In all honesty, given what I've heard of what will happen when the Queen dies, I'm tempted to leave the country for a couple of weeks when that happens.

But then you wouldn't be able to loudly ignore her funeral and death.

 

[Journeyman]

But then you wouldn't be able to loudly ignore her funeral and death.

I want to quietly ignore it.

 

[Gloster]

Very good point. I'll plan something.

In all honesty, given what I've heard of what will happen when the Queen dies, I'm tempted to leave the country for a couple of weeks when that happens.

I’m not sure that a couple of weeks will be enough. For that matter, you may be somewhat restricted as to where you can go to avoid it: North Korea, Kazakhstan, Mars?

 

[nlogax]

If you really want to ignore a royal death then disconnect from the news and media for a bit and steer clear of forum threads about royal deaths? It's not as if the news is being broadcast via loudspeakers on high streets.

 

[py_megapixel]

It's not as if the news is being broadcast via loudspeakers on high streets.

Pretty close though; his face was all over billboards in town centres.

I don't think people who aren't royal family fanatics should have to not watch the BBC television service that they are taxed for in order to avoid news which is irrelevant to them. Why did they have to take over all the channels - especially when you consider they have BBC Four sitting around doing nothing for most of the day? Just put some text on the screen telling people to change to Four if they care about the Prince, and have One and Two continue with their regular prorgamming for those who don't.

I'm not alone in this view either; the BBC themselves admitted they were recieving huge volumes of complaints about it.

 

[brad465]

If you really want to ignore a royal death then disconnect from the news and media for a bit and steer clear of forum threads about royal deaths? It's not as if the news is being broadcast via loudspeakers on high streets.

You say that but I have seen electronic billboards go beserk over displaying, the most well publicised one being on Piccadilly Circus, plus all the websites like National rail going greyscale and having items about the Duke on it (as discussed in the other thread on it specifically).

 

[AlterEgo]

I want to quietly ignore it.

Perhaps view this as an unsuccessful practice run at quietly ignoring something then.

 

[nlogax]

A bit of greyscale never hurt anyone. As for billboards barely any of us live within the eyeline of Piccadilly Circus. We've seen the pictures of that on, you guessed it, the news.

I do understand the frustration at not being able to find non-HRH news on TV. This is where using news sites and scrolling past the royal stories to find your preferred content wins out. TV news was always going to be beholden to reporting on Operation Forth Bridge and it'll be unavoidable for a little while yet

 

[DelW]

I don't think people who aren't royal family fanatics should have to not watch the BBC television service that they are taxed for in order to avoid news which is irrelevant to them. Why did they have to take over all the channels - especially when you consider they have BBC Four sitting around doing nothing for most of the day? Just put some text on the screen telling people to change to Four if they care about the Prince, and have One and Two continue with their regular prorgamming for those who don't.

This doesn't detract from the main point you're making, but IIRC BBC4 isn't available in the daytime as it shares a frequency with a daytime-only channel (probably one of the children's ones).

 

[py_megapixel]

This doesn't detract from the main point you're making, but IIRC BBC4 isn't available in the daytime as it shares a frequency with a daytime-only channel (probably one of the children's ones).

Fair enough - still, losing one channel, whichever one that may be, is better than all of them.

I wonder if the frequency BBC3 used to use is still available. It's probably been licensed for use by some other channel now.

 

[nlogax]

I wonder if the frequency BBC3 used to use is still available. It's probably been licensed for use by some other channel now.

Wouldn't worry about that, it's returning as a broadcast channel next year.

 

[birchesgreen]

A bit of greyscale never hurt anyone. As for billboards barely any of us live within the eyeline of Piccadilly Circus. We've seen the pictures of that on, you guessed it, the news.

Not just there, even the billboard on the bus stop opposite my house had his face on it, on Friday anyway.

 

[C J Snarzell]

Very good point. I'll plan something.

In all honesty, given what I've heard of what will happen when the Queen dies, I'm tempted to leave the country for a couple of weeks when that happens.

I went to Thailand in January 2017. Their King had passed away the previous October, and three months later their country was still in a state of national mourning!

I believe the King was the longest reining world monarch at the time of his death - 70 years from 1946 to 2016 (although his coronation didn't take place until 1950). Since his passing, our dear Queen now holds that record as longest living reining monarch.

In comparison to Thailand, which is a very religious country, I doubt we will see candle lit vigils at roadsides or billboards with her Majesty everywhere. However, I reckon we will see the media go into meltdown when that sad day arrives. Not to mention, this country will probably see one of it's biggest security operations ever mounted with most world leaders descending on London for the state funeral along with an influx of tourists from every corner of the globe.

CJ

 

[py_megapixel]

an influx of tourists from every corner of the globe.

And probably plenty of Brits leaving the country to escape the mania!

 

[Mat17]

A bit of greyscale never hurt anyone.

I do understand the frustration at not being able to find non-HRH news on TV.

LOL greyscale, I'm sure Ser Jorah Mormont winced a bit when Sam scraped it off!

With regards to the second point it's been a bit of fresh air actually, I'm beyond sick of hearing about nothing but Covid on the news for the past 15 months.

 

[birchesgreen]

I went to Thailand in January 2017. Their King had passed away the previous October, and three months later their country was still in a state of national mourning!

I believe the King was the longest reining world monarch at the time of his death - 70 years from 1946 to 2016 (although his coronation didn't take place until 1950). Since his passing, our dear Queen now holds that record as longest living reining monarch.

In comparison to Thailand, which is a very religious country, I doubt we will see candle lit vigils at roadsides or billboards with her Majesty everywhere. However, I reckon we will see the media go into meltdown when that sad day arrives. Not to mention, this country will probably see one of it's biggest security operations ever mounted with most world leaders descending on London for the state funeral along with an influx of tourists from every corner of the globe.

CJ

Thailand is an extreme example, I understand that only certain colours could be worn during the mourning period and people who dared to wear other colours were attacked and even arrested (by the real police not the fashion police).

 

[brad465]

Prince Andrew has been interviewed directly today in relation to this news, with his feature the top BBC news article, and I don't need to explain why this is causing controversy:

Prince Philip: The Queen says his death has 'left a huge void' - Duke of York

"We've lost the grandfather of the nation". Prince Andrew says of his father, the Duke of Edinburgh.

www.bbc.co.uk

The Queen has described the death of the Duke of Edinburgh as "having left a huge void in her life", her son the Duke of York has said.
Prince Andrew said his father's death was a "terrible loss", and that his family was "rallying around".
"We've lost the grandfather of the nation," he added, as he left a service at Windsor.
Earlier, ex-PM Sir John Major said the Royal Family's shared grief was an "ideal opportunity" to mend any rifts.
And during a special service at Canterbury Cathedral, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby paid tribute to Prince Philip, saying that "for the Royal Family, as for every other, no words can reach into the depth of sorrow that goes into bereavement".
The archbishop, who is expected to lead the duke's funeral service at Windsor Castle on Saturday, said Prince Philip showed "a remarkable willingness to take the hand he was dealt in life and straightforwardly to follow its call, to search its meaning, to go out and on as sent to inquire and think, to trust and to pray".

 

[C J Snarzell]

Prince Andrew has been interviewed directly today in relation to this news, with his feature the top BBC news article, and I don't need to explain why this is causing controversy:

Prince Philip: The Queen says his death has 'left a huge void' - Duke of York

"We've lost the grandfather of the nation". Prince Andrew says of his father, the Duke of Edinburgh.

www.bbc.co.uk

I think given the amount of grief Princes Andrew and Harry have brought to the Queen & the Duke of Edinburgh in the last year, they'd be well inclined not to have any contact with the media at present.

CJ

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I think given the amount of grief Princes Andrew and Harry have brought to the Queen & the Duke of Edinburgh in the last year, they'd be well inclined not to have any contact with the media at present.

CJ

I'm not sure you can put these two princes (enjoy the early nineties earworm ) in the same category in terms of their "misdeeds" in recent times. The Harry thing could have been handled better, but there's no way it's as much of an embarrassment as Andrew's poor choice of friends. Even the Oprah interview in its entirety was a mere puff-piece compared to the slow motion car crash that was Andrew's "Pizza Express-gate" interview last year. There's at least no suggestion that Harry has abused his position in order to commit serious crimes.

 

[Journeyman]

I'm not sure you can put these two princes (enjoy the early nineties earworm ) in the same category in terms of their "misdeeds" in recent times. The Harry thing could have been handled better, but there's no way it's as much of an embarrassment as Andrew's poor choice of friends. Even the Oprah interview in its entirety was a mere puff-piece compared to the slow motion car crash that was Andrew's "Pizza Express-gate" interview last year. There's at least no suggestion that Harry has abused his position in order to commit serious crimes.

Absolutely. Harry has done what he feels is necessary to protect his wife, and put his side of the story out there. Andrew is guilty of a number of very serious misdeeds to say the least, and exploits his position as a senior royal to do so.

 

[Strathclyder]

The Andrew and Harry episodes aren't even in the same ballpark, quite frankly. That is partly why I tuned all of the media/public hysteria surrounding the latter out, as the Harry & Meghan Oprah interview was a firecracker going off in comparsion to the nuclear explosion that was Andrew's grave misdeeds and the abuses of position that enabled them to transpire.

 

[brad465]

According to the S*n, the BBC has received 100,000 complaints in relation to Prince Philip coverage, although the fortnightly complaints' bulletin later this week will confirm for sure:

BBC 'receives 100,000 complaints' over Prince Philip coverage

Thousands of viewers contacted the BBC to say they felt the amount of coverage was excessive.

www.bbc.co.uk

The BBC has received 100,000 complaints from members of the public over its coverage of the Duke of Edinburgh's death, according to the Sun newspaper.
The corporation cleared its schedules to cover the news when Prince Philip died on Friday, at the age of 99.
EastEnders and the MasterChef final were replaced by news programmes, while BBC Four was taken off air completely.
The BBC declined to confirm the number of complaints it received. The details will officially be issued on Thursday.

The figures are due to be included in the broadcaster's fortnightly complaints bulletin.
A figure of 100,000 would make the coverage of Prince Philip's death the most complained-about piece of programming in BBC history.
Other programmes that attracted a high volume of correspondence included the broadcast of Jerry Springer: The Opera, which received 63,000 complaints in 2005; and Russell Brand's prank call to actor Andrew Sachs, which drew 42,000 complaints in 2008.
The BBC was not alone in adjusting its schedule to reflect Prince Philip's death, with ITV and Channel 4 both broadcasting extended news coverage.
However, many viewers turned away as the day wore on, with ITV's Friday night audience declining by 60% in comparison to the previous week, according to overnight figures.
BBC One's audience also dropped six per cent week-on-week, while BBC Two lost two-thirds of its audience, with just 340,000 people tuning in at any time between 7pm and 11pm.
The most-watched programme on a single channel on Friday night was Channel 4's Gogglebox, with 4.2 million viewers.
On Saturday, the BBC put a dedicated form on its website to allow viewers to complain about the TV coverage, in recognition of the volume of complaints.
The form was removed on Sunday, after the number of complaints began to fall, the corporation said.

If this figure is confirmed, it would be the most complaints they've received for programming in their history.

 

[Butts]

According to the S*n, the BBC has received 100,000 complaints in relation to Prince Philip coverage, although the fortnightly complaints' bulletin later this week will confirm for sure:

BBC 'receives 100,000 complaints' over Prince Philip coverage

Thousands of viewers contacted the BBC to say they felt the amount of coverage was excessive.

www.bbc.co.uk

If this figure is confirmed, it would be the most complaints they've received for programming in their history.

But still a tiny proportion of those actually viewing ?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

But still a tiny proportion of those actually viewing ?

Probably, but seems not that many were actually viewing once the BBC decided to simulcast most of their broadcasting output!

 

[Mat17]

And yet GMB received complaints the other day for not showing respect as they were not attired in black clothing.

Swings and roundabouts no?

 

[Ianno87]

But still a tiny proportion of those actually viewing ?

They put a special form.on their website to make it easier to complain, which has no doubt inflated the number.

 

[AlterEgo]

And yet GMB received complaints the other day for not showing respect as they were not attired in black clothing.

Swings and roundabouts no?

I think it’s a generational thing. Many people my age and younger really don’t watch any TV, or if they do, find it inconsequential if the main channels aren’t showing things they’d like to watch. We’d just turn over to someone else.

TV is one of the last few remaining media that still has “gatekeepers” and hence remains a battleground in Britain’s culture war.

The next time Prince Philip dies I’m sure the coverage will be more low key.

 

[hst43102]

The next time Prince Philip dies

I hope you don't mean this literally!